Samsung announced that it's rolling out an update for its Health app in October for the Sleep and Running coaches.
The Sleep Coach now only requires three days' worth of data from the past two weeks (down from seven days in a month), and it introduces a new glanceable graph for sleep insights.
The Running Coach's training levels have been increased from 10 to 12, and Samsung states its Strava partnership supports imported running routes.
Samsung is changing up its two in-app coaches for user health in an October update. The company states the changes are to help make "weekly guidance" easier.
Samsung revealed the contents of its October Health app update in a Newsroom post. It got off to a fast start with the changes arriving for the Sleep Coach. Samsung says "sleep tracking tells users how they slept"; however, the coach is designed to turn "personal sleep goals and data into daily habits," but that's never been easy. In today's update (Oct. 14), users can launch the Sleep Coach using three days of sleep data (within the past two weeks).
This is a stark change from the old requirement: seven days within a month.
(Image credit: Samsung)
Users will need to fill out a quick survey regarding their "sleep regularity." This will also involve sleep interruptions, caffeine intake, and more. The Sleep Coach will use this info (and your three days of data) to create a "tailored four- to eight-week coaching program" to meet your goals. What's more, Samsung is introducing a Sleep Balance graph.
It states this graph will include sleep time, sleep regularity, awake time during the night, sleep satisfaction, and Energy Score. While this graph provides a glanceable look at how you're sleeping, the app's morning daily insights will offer tips based on your sleep trends.
For the runners
(Image credit: Samsung)
Samsung states that its Running Coach has risen in popularity, pushing it to overhaul its systems for a better experience. According to the post, the Running Coach's training tiers have expanded from 10 to 12. This increase is aimed at intermediate and advanced runners.
These users can push their limits by setting "higher benchmarks, challenge themselves, and steadily improve their performance." On the other hand, the company states it's continuing its partnership with Strava. This update lets users import Strava Routes (running, trail running, cycling) into the Samsung Health app.
These updates should begin rolling out soon.
Before the Galaxy Watch 9 launched, Samsung detailed a major Health app update for features like "Vitals." Vitals focuses on five key heart metrics: heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen. By comparing your current data with your previous trends, Vitals can help users identify important changes. Health Heart Score dials into your heart analytics to point out meaningful changes that you can bring up with your doctor.
Samsung also revamped its app's Energy Score with AI.
It's been reported that Samsung has cut support for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic.
The watches have reached the end of their five-year software support cycle and will no longer receive any updates from Samsung.
The Galaxy Watch 4 series made headlines years ago since Samsung swapped its in-house Tizen OS for Wear OS 3; however, there was a lot we weren't satisfied with.
Samsung's made a change this week regarding currently supported devices, and two old smartwatches are no longer on the list.
Samsung amended its Security Updates page, and it no longer lists the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic (via Android Police). The company's smartwatches receive "Quarterly" security patches, and that's where the change resides. According to Samsung, the Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic have reached the end of their update lifecycles.
As it stands, Samsung's "oldest" supported watches are the Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm, 44mm) and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Users with a Galaxy Watch 4 series device have reached the end of their allotted five years of updates. It also makes sense that Samsung is writing in this change now, in September. The watches' final update rolled out early in August.
That update was pretty minimal, which you'd expect for a device so old. Samsung only rolled out the essential fixes to ensure your Galaxy Watch 4/4 Classic would remain protected against malicious attacks, but that's it.
They've been cut
(Image credit: Android Central)
There's a lot we can sit here and talk about concerning the Galaxy Watch 4 and 4 Classic. But we don't have that kind of time. One of the main highlights was Samsung's software change for the Watch 4. The device launched with Google's Wear OS, not the brand's in-house wearable OS, Tizen. In fact, Samsung co-developed Wear OS 3 for its Galaxy watches.
However, despite some of the "good" Samsung did with the watch, there was a lot we weren't happy with. The UI on the watches mirrored Tizen quite closely, despite being Wear OS 3. What's more, the Galaxy Watch 4 and 4 Classic were missing some classic Wear OS features. That was a strange pill to swallow, considering you'd find those features readily available on a TicWatch.
Fast-forward to 2026, and you'll find Samsung's latest Galaxy Watch 9 series. Samsung is using Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite (a great move). The company has also continued to enhance the available health features on the watch, as well, for your heart health and more.
As I prepped for my day this morning, I opened the YouTube Music app on my Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and queued up the latest episode of my favorite podcast. Everything felt great until I actually went out on my run, when the watch lost connection to my phone and stopped playing the podcast. Turns out, auto-downloading isn't enabled by default. Why? I asked the same question.
I'd love to say this was the only annoyance I've faced in the past month since I started using the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, but that's only a half truth. That's not to say this is a bad watch by any means — far from it — but several aspects of the experience have been irritating until I tweak something to work the way I expect. This is one reason I stopped using Wear OS watches over the past two years, and while some aspects have improved, others have gotten worse.
That feeling extends across the entire Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 experience. The hardware is faster, but the battery life is worse, and the charging is much slower. Samsung has finally addressed some of the weakest points of the workout experience (like the missing rep count feature on previous watches), but some things are still too obtuse for their own good.
Plus, many of the best features are arbitrarily locked to Android owners who happen to use Samsung phones. I wanted to say I loved the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, but that would also be a lie. Here's my full review.
What's good
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Right off the bat, I was impressed with Samsung's design and build quality. The circle-within-a-squircle design looked better than I initially imagined, and I appreciate that this watch uses buttons instead of a crown that gets in the way when working out.
I also loved how well apps worked on the phone. This watch is a multitasking beast, both thanks to the Snapdragon Wear Elite processor inside and Wear OS's generally excellent OS design. It's so nice to easily juggle messaging apps, check my calendar, and log my workouts without losing any progress.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
The new trail run workout mode is absolutely superb. This one differs from outdoor running because it provides turn-by-turn navigation (which is paramount for not getting lost on a mountain trail, trust me) and an easy way to load up routes from apps like AllTrails. The voice guidance was more attentive than my favorite Amazfit watch, which I appreciated.
While I rarely ever use Gemini on a watch, it's a great feature to have when you want to do something hands-free. Samsung also loads this watch with great gesture support, furthering the idea that you don't need to get your grubby fingerprints on the screen.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
I was also elated to see that several workouts support rep counts and weight measurements, something that's been missing from most Wear OS watches since their inception.
I've also loved using the Running Coach feature, which has been helping me train for a half marathon I've scheduled in November. I've never run a half marathon before, and setting this up on the watch was as easy as opening Running Coach and following the prompts in the Samsung Health app.
Not just annoyances. Real problems.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Samsung's Running Coach is excellent, but I found that the watch doesn't measure pacing correctly. This was especially prominent during my half marathon training, as the watch wants me to run at a specific slow pace to build endurance, but it's hard to do that when it constantly thinks I'm going too fast. I found this to be the case even during the Spartan Race I wrote about last month, so it's not limited to slow paces.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
While I appreciate all the cool new heart health features Samsung added to this watch, they're only for people using Galaxy phones. This makes no sense at all and, quite frankly, is embarrassing for an Android device. Android thrives on interoperability between brands, and Samsung feels like it is making a mockery of that.
I was also extremely unimpressed with the blood pressure and food logging features. Blood pressure monitoring was far too difficult to set up (you have to use a blood pressure machine to create a baseline), and food logging in the Samsung Health app is extremely archaic. In the age of Galaxy AI, I still have to search and scroll through lists of items instead of just asking AI to do it. Competitors like Amazfit have had that feature for years, and it's time Samsung got with it.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Lastly, I can't express how disappointed I was with this watch's battery life. With an 800mAh battery, this thing should last a week. As it stands, I could barely get through 2 days, and it takes around 2 hours to charge it from empty. If I paid $700 for this watch, I would be pretty disappointed in how mid the overall experience has been.
You could buy the Galaxy watch Ultra 2, or...
If I were recommending new Wear OS watches this year, the Pixel Watch 5 would be my choice. If you're deeply entrenched in Samsung's ecosystem or have a specific feature you love (like diving or trail running), this is a great second-place option, but it's hard to recommend something so expensive when it simply doesn't excel in all the areas it should.
Samsung just uploaded a One UI 9 Watch test firmware (L500XXU2ZZH2) for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic to its servers.
The new firmware specifically targets the Watch 8 Classic, making it one of the first older models (outside the new Watch 9 series) to get public beta access.
This build runs on a newer bootloader version. Once you install it, rolling back to the previous software won't be possible.
Samsung is moving closer to bringing One UI 9 Watch to older Galaxy smartwatches, and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic seems to be among the first to receive it. A new test build has appeared on Samsung’s test servers, which could be a sign that a public beta could be launched soon.
As per the screenshots shared by Tarun Vats on X, Samsung has uploaded the firmware with build number L500XXU2ZZH2/L500OXM2ZZH2 for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. Just because the software is ready doesn’t mean the beta will be available quite yet, but it’s a strong indication that Samsung is preparing to get things started soon.
Breaking news!Galaxy Watch8 Classic: The first One UI 9 watch beta build has been spotted on the test server.Build: L500XXU2ZZH2/L500OXM2ZZH2We can expect the beta program in the coming weeks. pic.twitter.com/FLzpdHihYQAugust 11, 2026
Samsung's smartwatch software usually goes through a few internal builds before it makes it to users. The test-server listing also suggests that downgrade might not be possible after the update is installed, and the new firmware seems to be built on a newer bootloader version.
This is important for anyone looking to get into the beta early. The software is still in testing, so expect unfinished features, bugs, and compatibility issues. If you rely on your smartwatch for notifications, exercise, or health monitoring, it might not be the best idea to put it on your everyday watch.
While Samsung hasn’t made an official statement regarding the beta program, the leaked build suggests that the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic could be one of the first devices, apart from the Galaxy Watch 9 series, to get access.
There is a bigger reason to follow this rollout. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 already ship with One UI 9 Watch based on Wear OS 7, so there's little reason for Samsung to now withhold the update from older models. If Samsung holds to its usual rollout pattern, the beta could be here in the next few weeks.
Samsung's newest smartwatches finally hit store shelves last week, but if you weren't being vigilant, you could've completely missed that one of the best Galaxy Watch 9 deals is still going strong at T-Mobile.
That's a whopping $430 in savings on the 40mm version of the watch. Need something bigger? You can apply the same discount to the 44mm version or even the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 if you need a bit more power. The choice is yours.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 is here, and T-Mobile will already give you the flagship wearable for free when you add a line with Watch Plan Plus 2.0 on the carrier's website. You'll still have to pay the $35 activation fee, but you're looking at $430 in savings on a device that's sure to rank among the best Android smartwatches released this year. No trade-in required. View Deal
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 takes the foundation of its excellent predecessor and adds a new Snapdragon processor and a larger battery without increasing the size or weight. The result is a sleek, lightweight smartwatch that doesn't skimp on premium specs and innovative Galaxy AI software features.
Just like the Galaxy Watch 8, the new model still features a vibrant AMOLED display with 32GB of onboard storage, plus you get dual-band GPS tracking, IP68 with 5ATM water resistance, and a powerful BioActive sensor with ultra-accurate health and fitness tracking capabilities.
So what's the catch? Well, as I mentioned above, you'll need to pay the $35 activation fee and sign up for the Watch Plan Plus 2.0 plan to enjoy the $430 discount. This plan costs just $15 per month and gives you unlimited talk, text, and data directly from your smartwatch, in addition to unlimited texting and 5GB of data in over 215 countries worldwide (15GB of data in Mexico and Canada).
Os novos dobráveis chegam meses antes de a Apple alegadamente adentrar nesse segmento do mercado com o famigerado “iPhone Ultra” — logo, as apostas da gigante sul-coreana baterão de frente com o futuro dispositivo da Maçã.
Sem mais delongas, vamos conferir os detalhes de cada anúncio abaixo!
Galaxy Z Fold8
Divulgação/Samsung
Agora que os dobráveis da Samsung possuem três variantes, o Z Fold tradicional passou por um reposicionamento, tornando-se talvez a adição mais diferente dentre toda a linha de novos produtos anunciados.
Seu grande destaque é a reformulação no design, adotando um formato que se convencionou chamar de “passaporte”, com uma proporção maior do que aquilo que foi estabelecido nas últimas gerações do dobrável principal da Samsung. Isso resultou em uma tela externa de 5,5 polegadas e aspect ratio de 10:16, além de uma principal de 7,6″ e proporção de 4:3 — especificações bem semelhantes ao que se especula sobre o “iPhone Ultra” —, ambas com taxas de atualização de até 120Hz.
A sul-coreana destacou ainda o peso do modelo, sendo o celular dobrável mais leve já lançado por ela até agora (201 gramas, para ser exato).
Uma das principais diferenças do modelo em relação ao Z Fold8 Ultra está nas câmeras: o modelo padrão conta apenas com duas lentes traseiras (um sensor principal e uma lente ultra-angular, ambos com 50 megapixels), além dos 200mAh de diferença na bateria (4.800mAh no caso do Z Fold8 e 5.000mAh no caso do Z Fold8 Ultra). A linha também marca a estreia das baterias de silício-carbono nos celulares da fabricante.
Quanto ao restante das suas especificações técnicas, destaca-se pela implementação da tecnologia Flex Titanium — baseada em alumínio — para a resistência da tela, a presença do chip Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, opções a partir de 12GB de memória e 256GB de armazenamento (até 1TB), resistência IP48 contra água e poeira, além de suporte ao carregamento de 45W com fio e 15W sem fio. Assim como os demais aparelhos, ele chega com o Android 17 e a One UI 9.
Nos Estados Unidos, ele chega a partir de US$1.900 (US$200 a menos que o Z Fold8 Ultra e US$100 a menos que o Z Fold7) nas cores preta, branca, lavanda e verde pistache (esta última exclusiva para compra no site oficial da Samsung).
Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
Divulgação/Samsung
Para os entusiastas do tradicional formato dos dobráveis da Samsung, a melhor opção é o modelo Ultra. Ele conta com as mesmas 8″ na tela principal e 6,5″ na tela externa do Z Fold7, com aspect ratios de 3:2 e 21:9, respectivamente.
Outra diferença notável em relação ao modelo menor é a presença da lente teleobjetiva de 10MP, aos moldes da presente no Z Fold7.
Como citado anteriormente, o aparelho conta com uma bateria de 5.000mAh de silício-carbono, além de compartilhar o Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, as mesmas opções de memória/armazenamento, a resistência IP48 e o suporte aos 45W de carregamento com fio e 15W sem fio do Z Fold8.
Um de seus maiores destaques (nesse caso, negativo) é o preço: US$2.100 — um aumento em comparação ao modelo equivalente da geração passada (vale lembrar, o Z Fold7 chegou por US$2.000 lá fora). Ele está disponível nas cores preta, branca, roxo escuro e verde escuro (esta última exclusiva para compra no site oficial da Samsung).
Galaxy Z Flip8
Divulgação/Samsung
Modelo mais básico da nova linha, o Z Flip8 se destaca pela redução na espessura (13,1mm dobrado contra os 13,7mm do antecessor) e no peso (188g contra 180g do Z Flip7), possibilitando o que a Samsung chama de “uma experiência cotidiana sem vinco”.
Ele conta com uma tela interna de 6,9″, enquanto a externa tem 4,1″, com proporções de 22:9 e 1:1, respectivamente, e suporte a taxas de atualização de 120Hz em ambas. O aparelho chega com um conjunto duplo de câmeras, sendo a lente principal de 50MP, um sensor ultra-angular de 12MP e câmera frontal de 10MP.
Ele chega com o processador Exynos 2600, resistência IP48, 12GB de memória e opções de armazenamento de 256GB e 512GB. Em termos de bateria e recarga, o componente de silício-carbono possui uma capacidade de 4.300mAh, carregamento de até 25W por fio e 15W sem fio.
O Z Flip8 custa US$1.200 (um aumento de US$100 em relação ao Z Flip7) e está disponível nas cores azul, preta, vermelha coral e menta (esta última exclusiva para compra no site oficial da Samsung).
Galaxy Watch9 e Ultra2
Ambos os modelos ganharam suporte ao recurso “levante para falar”, que aciona de imediato o Gemini do Google sem a necessidade de toque ou botão. Os dois relógios contam com o Wear OS 7 e a One UI 9 Watch, compatíveis com smartphones que possuam Android 13 ou superior.
Divulgação/Samsung
Com especificações e design um tanto semelhantes ao seu antecessor, as grandes novidades do Galaxy Watch9 incluem a ampliação de bateria (o modelo de 40mm ganhou um aumento de quase 20%, com 390mAh, enquanto a versão de 44mm possui 445hmAh), a pulseira com design Air Pocket (até 25% mais leve que a presente no Watch8) e a estreia do processador Snapdragon Wear Elite.
Ele continua com as opções de 2GB de memória e 32GB de armazenamento e está disponível em caixas de 40mm e 44mm, nas cores preto e creme, custando a partir de US$380 (um aumento de US$30 em relação ao Watch8).
Já o Galaxy Watch Ultra2 adota uma reformulação na identidade visual que o aproxima do restante da linha, sendo até 12% mais fino que o seu antecessor, mantendo a bateria de 800mAh. A tela também ganhou melhorias, contando com 5.000 nits de brilho máximo.
Para experiências aquáticas, o Ultra2 atende o padrão EN13319 para mergulho e possui certificação IP69K. Além disso, o app Marz deverá receber suporte à metrificação de velocidades e orientações de descompressão.
Disponível nas cores titânio preto e titânio prata, o modelo está disponível a partir de US$700, um aumento de US$50 em relação à primeira geração.
Inteligência artificial
Durante o evento, a Samsung reforçou sua ciência e presença quanto às IAs agênticas, expandindo a experiência para além das telas dos smartphones e passando a oferecer assistência contínua de IA em tempo real nos dispositivos do seu ecossistema; o foco da Samsung é a entrega da experiência hands-free (ou seja, mãos livres). Ela afirmou ainda que essa integração contará com mecanismos de proteção e segurança, embora não tenha adentrado em detalhes técnicos de como fará isso.
A empresa também mencionou a integração de dados biométricos coletados pelos Galaxy Watch ao fluxo de trabalho médico, focada na prevenção de riscos de saúde com o auxílio da inteligência artificial (IA), permitindo a sugestão de refeições e treinos adaptados com base em interpretações de biossinais.
Preço e disponibilidade
Os novos smartphones chegarão ao Brasil no dia 6 de agosto, mas ainda não tiveram seus preços divulgados; ainda assim, a Samsung já antecipou que a aquisição de algum dos dispositivos durante a pré-venda garantirá até seis meses de Google AI Pro sem custos adicionais.
NOTA DE TRANSPARÊNCIA: O MacMagazine recebe uma pequena comissão sobre vendas concluídas por meio de links deste post, mas você, como consumidor, não paga nada mais pelos produtos/serviços usando os nossos links de afiliado.
Login
